Sealed optoelectronic components and associated optical devices

Abstract

Apparatuses, systems, and associated methods are described that provide an optical device with sealed optoelectronic component(s) without impacting effective optical performance of the optical device. An example optical device includes a substrate that defines a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The optical device further includes an optoelectronic component supported by the first surface of the substrate where the optoelectronic component operates with optical signals. The optical device further includes a conformal coating applied to the first surface of the substrate such that at least a portion of the conformal coating is disposed on the optoelectronic component. The conformal coating substantially seals the optoelectronic component from an external environment of the optical device without impacting effective optical performance of the optical device. A thickness of the conformal coating may be determined based upon one or more operating parameters of the optoelectronic component.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An optical device comprising:
 a substrate defining:
 a first surface; and 
 a second surface opposite the first surface; 
 
 an optoelectronic component supported by the first surface of the substrate, the optoelectronic component configured for operation with optical signals conveying data; and 
 a conformal coating applied to the first surface of the substrate and disposed on the optoelectronic component, 
 wherein the conformal coating is configured to substantially seal the optoelectronic component from an external environment of the optical device without impacting effective optical performance of the optical device, 
 wherein a thickness of the conformal coating is determined based upon one or more operating parameters of the optoelectronic component. 
 
     
     
       2. The optical device according to  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the conformal coating is determined based upon a wavelength of the optical signals with which the optoelectronic component operates. 
     
     
       3. The optical device according to  claim 2 , wherein the thickness of the conformal coating is further determined based upon a refractive index of the conformal coating. 
     
     
       4. The optical device according to  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the conformal coating is between approximately 0 nm and 350 nm. 
     
     
       5. The optical device according to  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the conformal coating is determined by: 
       
         
           
             
               λ 
               
                 2 
                 × 
                 n 
               
             
           
         
       
       wherein λ is a wavelength of the optical signals with which the optoelectronic component operates, and n is a refractive index of the conformal coating. 
     
     
       6. The optical device according to  claim 1 , wherein the conformal coating comprises a parylene material. 
     
     
       7. The optical device according to  claim 1 , wherein the optoelectronic component comprises a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser. 
     
     
       8. The optical device according to  claim 7 , wherein the thickness of the conformal coating is further determined based upon one or more of a threshold current, a slope efficiency, an output power, an intensity noise, or a frequency response of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser. 
     
     
       9. The optical device according to  claim 1 , wherein the optoelectronic component comprises a photodiode. 
     
     
       10. The optical device according to  claim 9 , wherein the thickness of the conformal coating is determined by: 
       
         
           
             
               λ 
               
                 4 
                 × 
                 n 
               
             
           
         
       
       wherein λ is a wavelength of the optical signals with which the optoelectronic component operates, and n is a refractive index of the conformal coating. 
     
     
       11. The optical device according to  claim 9 , wherein the thickness of the conformal coating is further determined based upon one or more of a responsivity or an optical back reflection of the photodiode. 
     
     
       12. A method of manufacturing an optical device, the method comprising:
 providing a substrate, wherein the substrate defines:
 a first surface; and 
 a second surface opposite the first surface; 
 
 disposing an optoelectronic component on the first surface of the substrate, the optoelectronic component configured for operation with optical signals conveying data; and 
 applying a conformal coating to the first surface of the substrate such that the conformal coating is disposed on the optoelectronic component, 
 wherein the conformal coating is configured to substantially seal the optoelectronic component from an external environment of the optical device without impacting effective optical performance of the optical device, 
 wherein a thickness of the conformal coating is determined based upon one or more operating parameters of the optoelectronic component. 
 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising modifying the thickness of the conformal coating based upon a detected change in at least one of the one or more operating parameters of the optoelectronic component. 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the thickness of the conformal coating is determined based upon a wavelength of the optical signals with which the optoelectronic component operates. 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the thickness of the conformal coating is further determined based upon a refractive index of the conformal coating. 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the thickness of the conformal coating is between approximately 0 nm and 350 nm. 
     
     
       17. The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the thickness of the conformal coating is determined by: 
       
         
           
             
               λ 
               
                 2 
                 × 
                 n 
               
             
           
         
       
       wherein λ is a wavelength of the optical signals with which the optoelectronic component operates, and n is a refractive index of the conformal coating. 
     
     
       18. The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the conformal coating comprises a parylene material. 
     
     
       19. The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the optoelectronic component comprises a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser. 
     
     
       20. The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the thickness of the conformal coating is further determined based upon one or more of a threshold current, a slope efficiency, an output power, an intensity noise, or a frequency response of the vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser. 
     
     
       21. The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the optoelectronic component comprises a photodiode. 
     
     
       22. The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the thickness of the conformal coating is determined by: 
       
         
           
             
               λ 
               
                 4 
                 × 
                 n 
               
             
           
         
       
       wherein λ is a wavelength of the optical signals with which the optoelectronic component operates, and n is a refractive index of the conformal coating. 
     
     
       23. The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the thickness of the conformal coating is further determined based upon one or more of a responsivity or an optical back reflection of the photodiode. 
     
     
       24. The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising performing a post-processing operation on the optical device to modify the thickness of the conformal coating. 
     
     
       25. The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the post-processing operation comprises an oxygen plasma-based technique.